Adjustable decking and framing tool

ABSTRACT

A horizontal base bar is pivotally connected at one end with a vertical lever arm having a point engageable with a wooden structure. A plurality of different attachments may be connected with the other end of the base bar. A decking attachment may be connected in one position for pushing deck boards together on their supporting joists. When the decking attachment is turned over, it may be used for pulling loose deck boards against deck boards which have already been nailed. A T-shaped wall moving attachment is adapted for squaring a wall framing on a floor before erection. A spike attachment is adapted for both pushing and pulling movements to align erected wall frames on a floor.

United States Patent 1191 Larios et al.

[ Dec. 18, 1973 ADJUSTABLE DECKING AND FRAMING TOOL 22 Filed: Mar. 9,1972 211 Appl. No; 233,110

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,018,070 2/1912 Morehead .1254/15 3,220,691 11/1965 Dudley 254/15 1,512.356 10/1924 Miller 254/15Primary ExaminerOthell M. Simpson Assistant Examiner-Robert C. Watson-Att0rneyLee R. Schermerhorn 5 7 ABSTRACT A horizontal base bar ispivotally connected at one end with a vertical lever arm having a pointengageable with a wooden structure. A plurality of different attachmentsmay be connected with the other end of the base bar. A deckingattachment may be connected in one position for pushing deck boardstogether on their supporting joists. When the decking attachment isturned over, it may be used for pulling loose deck boards against deckboards which have already been nailed. A T-shaped wall moving attachmentis adapted for squaring a wall framing on a floor before erection. Aspike attachment is adapted for both pushing and pulling movements toalign erected wall frames on a floor.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PMENIEI] DEC 1 8 1975 ADJUSTABLE DECKING ANDFRAMING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to anadjustable decking and framing tool for use in wooden buildingconstruction.

Devices have been made heretofore for pushing and pulling deck boardsinto position for nailing, but such devices have been in the-nature ofsingle purpose tools which lacked any other utility in the constructionindustry. It is desired to provide a tool which is adapted also toperform other common functions in the building industry for whichsuitable tools have not been heretofore provided.

Objects of the invention are, therefore, to provide an improved tool forthe purposes described and to provide a device having a deckingattachment for either pushing or pulling decking into position fornailing, an attachment for squaring wall frames, and an attachment foraligning wall frames.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present device comprises a base bar havingpivotal connection at one end with a lever arm provided with a pointwhich is engageable with a wooden structure to apply either a pushing orpulling movement to the base bar. A decking attachment on the other endof the base bar may be used in one position for pushing decking boardstogether and in a different position for pulling them together. AT-shaped wall moving attachment is adapted for squaring wall frames onthe floor before erection of the wall. A spike attachment is adapted foraligning erected walls, this attachment being adapted for bothpushingand pulling movements.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects andadvantages will become-apparent from the following description of thepreferred embodiments illustrated on the accompanying drawings. Variouschanges may be made, however, in the details of construction andarrangement of parts and certain features may be used without others.All such modifications within the scope of the appended claims areincluded in the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective viewof a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the point on the lever arm;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the decking attachment used forpushing deck boards together;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view showing the decking attachment used forpulling deck boards together;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the use of the wall movingattachment for squaring a wall frame before erection; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the use of the spike attachment foraligning an erected wall frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 a base bar 10preferably comprises a square metal tube having a pair of platesorstraps ll welded A screw threaded point element 20 is secured in a nut21 welded on the lower end of lever arm 15. As shown in FIG. 2, pointelement 20 preferably comprises a length of sharpened bolt shank havinga nut 22 welded thereto as indicated at 23 so that the point element maybe tightened in nut 21 by a wrench.

Base bar 10 is adapted to receive several different attachments for thevarious purposes explained above. A decking attachment 25 comprises asquare metaltube 24 forming a shank which is adapted to telescope overthe base bar 10. One end of the tubular shank 24 has holes 26 to receivea pin 27 which may be inserted in appropriate ones of a series of holes28 spaced along the base bar 10. An abutment plate 30 is welded on theopposite end of the tubular shank 24 so as to project at a right anglefrom one side thereof. The projecting end of plate 30 has welded theretoa rod 31 extending transversely of plate 30 and the shank 24.

By turning the abutment plate 30 upward the device may be used on joiststo crowd decking planks together for nailing as shown in FIG. 3. Thus,when point 20 is caused to penetrate into joist 35, movement of leverarm 15 to the left will cause abutment plate 30 to crowd the planks Ptightly together for applying the nails 36.

When it is desired to pull the planks together from the oppositedirection, the decking attachment 25 is turned over so as to causeabutment plate 30 to project downward as shown in FIG. 4. Bar 31 then isdisposed parallel with clevis pin 13 and is adapted to engage the edgeof the last plank below its tongue so that a great pulling force may beapplied without crushing the tongue. In this arrangement the point 20 isengaged with a plank that has already been nailed to the joist 35.

The sharpened end of point element 20 is preferably curved and may beoriented to obtain the most effective grip on the planks by removing pin13 and rotating the lever arm to reverse the orientation of the pointelement. The number of loose boards that can be crowded together in oneoperation is determined by the particular hole 28 in which pin 27 isplaced whereby the distance between point 20 and abutment plate 30 maybe varied through a wide range.

Wall moving attachment 40 comprises a transverse abutment plate 41connected at its center to a short tubular shank 42 which forms a socketto receive the end of base bar tube 10. A hole 43 is arranged to receivepin 27 which may be inserted in the end hole 28 or in a hole 44 in thebase bar 10, depending upon whether it is desired to have abutment plate41 project horizontally or vertically.

FIG. 5 shows the use of wall moving attachment 40. Pin 45 is inserted inend hole 28 causing abutment plate 41 to extend in a horizontaldirection. In this application the device is used for squaring a wallframe W which has been nailed together in horizontal position on thefloor F. Point 20 is engaged in the floor and the action of the leverarm applies a pulling force to the corner of the wall frame as may benecessary to make the corner square.

Spike attachment 50 comprises a plate or strap member 51 having one endequipped with a spike 52 while the other end is welded to a shorttubular shank or socket member 53. Spike 52 may be turned in eithervertical or horizontal direction as desired. Pin 27 in holes 54 may beinserted in either holes 28 or 44 in base bar 10.

FIG. 6 shows the application of the spike attachment 50 to a wall frameW which has been erected on the floor F. By using pin 27 to secure thespike attachment to base bar 10 with spike 52 directed downward, thespike may be impaled in wall plate 56 for either pushing or pulling thewall into predetermined alignment and position on the floor. Thepenetration of point into the floor provides suitable leverage in bothdirections of movement of lever arm 15 for either pushing or pulling onthe wall plate or doing both alternatively.

The present tool is versatile and still other uses will occur to personsskilled in the art, wherever members or structures are to be pushed orpulled into a desired position or alignment. The tool is not limited touse on the floor.

Having now described our invention and in what manner the same may beused, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A decking and framing tool comprising a square tubular base bar, apair of rigid strap members extending from one end of said base bar onopposite sides thereof forming a clevis, a clevis pin spanning saidstrap members; a tubular lever arm having a transverse hole near one endthereof receiving saidclevis pin, a nut welded on said one end of saidlever arm; a point elemerit aligned with said lever arm, said pointelement comprising a threaded bolt shank having a sharpened end, and anut welded on said bolt shank intermediate its ends, the opposite end ofsaid bolt shank having threaded engagement in said nut on said lever armwith said nut which is welded on said bolt shank tightened against saidnut on said lever arm; an attachment having a square tubular shankreceiving the other end of said base bar, said base bar and tubularshank having transverse holes receiving a bolt for mounting saidattachment on said base bar in longitudinally adjusted positions; anabutment plate welded on the outer end of said tubular shank andextending perpendicular to said shank from one side thereof, and a rodelement welded on the side of said abutment plate facing said lever armand extending parallel with said clevis pin; said attachment beingassembled on said base bar with said abutment plate projecting upwardfor pushing decking boards together, and said attachment being assembledon said base bar with said abutment plate projecting downward to engagesaid rod element under a tongue of a decking board for pulling theboards together.

1. A decking and framing tool comprising a square tubular base bar, a pair of rigid strap members extending from one end of said base bar on opposite sides thereof forming a clevis, a clevis pin spanning said strap members; a tubular lever arm having a transverse hole near one end thereof receiving said clevis pin, a nut welded on said one end of said lever arm; a point element aligned with said lever arm, said point element comprising a threaded bolt shank having a sharpened end, and a nut welded on said bolt shank intermediate its ends, the opposite end of said bolt shank having threaded engagement in said nut on said lever arm with said nut which is welded on said bolt shank tightened against said nut on said lever arm; an attachment having a square tubular shank receiving the other end of said base bar, said base bar and tubular shank having transverse holes receiving a bolt for mounting said attachment on said base bar in longitudinally adjusted positions; an abutment plate welded on the outer end of said tubular shank and extending perpendicular to said shank from one side thereof, and a rod element welded on the side of said abutment plate facing said lever arm and extending parallel with said clevis pin; said attachment being assembled on said base bar with said abutment plate projecting upward for pushing decking boards together, and said attachment being assembled on said base bar with said abutment plate projecting downward to engage said rod element under a tongue of a decking board for pulling the boards together. 